the expedition of humphry clinker-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


estate　of　ten　thousand　a　year；　he　should　have　my　consent　to　lay
it　at　her　feet。　If　Mr　Grieve　had　been　as　solicitious　about
getting　money；　as　he　has　been　in　performing　all　the　duties　of　a
primitive　Christian；　he　would　not　have　hung　so　long　upon　his
hands。'　'What　is　her　name？'　said　I。　'Sixteen　years　ago　（answered
the　vicar）　I　christened　her　by　the　names　of　Seraphina　Melvilia。'
'Ha！　what！　how！　（cried　the　count　eagerly）　sure；　you　said
Seraphina　Melvilia。'　'I　did　（said　he）；　Mr　Grieve　told　me　those
were　the　names　of　two　noble　persons　abroad；　to　whom　he　had　been
obliged　for　more　than　life。'

The　count；　without　speaking　another　syllable；　rushed　into　the
parlour；　crying；　'This　is　your　god…daughter；　my　dear。'　Mrs
Grieve；　then　seizing　the　countess　by　the　hand；　exclaimed　with
great　agitation；　'O　madam！　O　sir！　　I　am　　I　am　your　poor　Elinor。　
This　is　my　Seraphina　Melvilia　O　child！　these　are　the　count　and
countess　of　Melville；　the　generous　the　glorious　benefactors　of
thy　once　unhappy　parents。'

The　countess　rising　from　her　scat　threw　her　arms　about　the　neck
of　the　amiable　Seraphina；　and　clasped　her　to　her　breast　with
great　tenderness；　while　she　herself　was　embraced　by　the　weeping
mother。　This　moving　scene　was　completed　by　the　entrance　of　Grieve
himself；　who　falling　on　his　knees　before　the　count；　'Behold　（said
he）　a　penitent；　who　at　length　can　look　upon　his　patron　without
shrinking。'　'Ah；　Ferdinand！　（cried　he；　raising　and　folding　him　in
his　arms）　the　playfellow　of　my　infancy　　the　companion　of　my
youth！　　Is　it　to　you　then　I　am　indebted　for　my　life？'　'Heaven　has
heard　my　prayer　（said　the　other）；　and　given　me　an　opportunity　to
prove　myself　not　altogether　unworthy　of　your　clemency　and
protection。'　He　then　kissed　the　hand　of　the　countess；　while
monsieur　de　Melville　saluted　his　wife　and　lovely　daughter；　and
all　of　us　were　greatly　affected　by　this　pathetic　recognition。

In　a　word；　Grieve　was　no　other　than　Ferdinand　count　Fathom；　whose
adventures　were　printed　many　years　ago。　Being　a　sincere　convert
to　virtue；　he　had　changed　his　name；　that　he　might　elude　the
enquiries　of　the　count；　whose　generous　allowance　he　determined　to
forego；　that　he　might　have　no　dependence　but　upon　his　own
industry　and　moderation。　He　had　accordingly　settled　in　this
village　as　a　practitioner　in　surgery　and　physic；　and　for　some
years　wrestled　with　all　the　miseries　of　indigence；　which；
however；　he　and　his　wife　had　borne　with　the　most　exemplary
resignation。　At　length；　by　dint　of　unwearied　attention　to　the
duties　of　his　profession；　which　he　exercised　with　equal　humanity
and　success；　he　had　acquired　tolerable　share　of　business　among
the　farmers　and　common　people；　which　enabled　him　to　live　in　a
decent　manner。　He　had　been　scarce　ever　seen　to　smile；　was
unaffectedly　pious；　and　all　the　time　he　could　spare　from　the
avocations　of　his　employment；　he　spent　in　educating　his　daughter；
and　in　studying　for　his　own　improvement。　In　short；　the　adventurer
Fathom　was；　under　the　name　of　Grieve；　universally　respected　among
the　commonalty　of　this　district；　as　a　prodigy　of　learning　and
virtue。　These　particulars　I　learned　from　the　vicar；　when　we
quitted　the　room；　that　they　might　be　under　no　restraint　in　their
mutual　effusions。　I　make　no　doubt　that　Grieve　will　be　pressed　to
leave　off　business；　and　re…unite　himself　to　the　count's　family；
and　as　the　countess　seemed　extremely　fond　of　his　daughter；　she
will；　in　all　probability；　insist　upon　Seraphina's　accompanying
her　to　Scotland。

Having　paid　our　compliments　to　these　noble　persons；　we　returned
to　the　'squire's；　where　we　expected　an　invitation　to　pass　the
night；　which　was　wet　and　raw；　but　it　seems；　'squire　Burdock's
hospitality　reached　not　so　far　for　the　honour　of　Yorkshire；　we
therefore　departed　in　the　evening；　and　lay　at　an　inn；　where　I
caught　cold。

In　hope　of　riding　it　down　before　it　could　take　fast　hold　on　my
constitution；　I　resolved　to　visit　another　relation；　one　Mr
Pimpernel；　who　lived　about　a　dozen　miles　from　the　place　where　we
lodged。　Pimpernel　being　the　youngest　of　four　sons；　was　bred　an
attorney　at　Furnival's　inn；　but　all　his　elder　brothers　dying；　he
got　himself　called　to　the　bar　for　the　honour　of　his　family；　and
soon　after　this　preferment；　succeeded　to　his　father's　estate
which　was　very　considerable。　He　carried　home　with　him　all　the
knavish　chicanery　of　the　lowest　pettifogger；　together　with　a　wife
whom　he　had　purchased　of　a　drayman　for　twenty　pounds；　and　he　soon
found　means　to　obtain　a　dedimus　as　an　acting　justice　of　peace。　He
is　not　only　a　sordid　miser　in　his　disposition；　but　his　avarice　is
mingled　with　a　spirit　of　despotism；　which　is　truly　diabolical。　
He　is　a　brutal　husband；　an　unnatural　parent；　a　harsh　master；　an
oppressive　landlord；　a　litigious　neighbour；　and　a　partial
magistrate。　Friends　he　has　none；　and　in　point　of　hospitality　and
good　breeding；　our　cousin　Burdock　is　a　prince　in　comparison　of
this　ungracious　miscreant；　whose　house　is　the　lively
representation　of　a　gaol。　Our
reception　was　suitable　to　the　character　I　have　sketched。　Had　it
depended　upon　the　wife；　we　should　have　been　kindly　treated。　　She
is　really　a　good　sort　of　a　woman；　in　spite　of　her　low　original；
and　well　respected　in　the　country；　but　she　has　not　interest
enough　in　her　own　house　to　command　a　draught　of　table　beer；　far
less　to　bestow　any　kind　of　education　on　her　children；　who　run
about；　like　tagged　colts；　in　a　state　of　nature。　　Pox　on　him！　he
is　such　a　dirty　fellow；　that　I　have　not　patience　to　prosecute　the
subject。

By　that　time　we　reached　Harrigate；　I　began　to　be　visited　by
certain　rheumatic　symptoms。　The　Scotch　lawyer；　Mr　Micklewhimmen；
recommended　a　hot　bath　of　these　waters　so　earnestly；　that　I　was
over…persuaded　to　try　the　experiment。　　He　had　used　it　often　with
success　and　always　stayed　an　hour　in　the　bath；　which　was　a　tub
filled　with　Harrigate　water；　heated　for　the　purpose。　If　I　could
hardly　bear　the　smell　of　a　single　tumbler　when　cold；　you　may
guess　how　my　nose　was　regaled　by　the　streams　arising　from　a　hot
bath　of　the　same　fluid。　At　night；　I　was　conducted　into　a　dark
hole　on　the　ground　floor；　where　the　tub　smoaked　and　stunk　like
the　pot　of　Acheron；　in　one　corner；　and　in　another　stood　a　dirty
bed　provided　with　thick　blankets；　in　which　I　was　to　sweat　after
coming　out　of　the　bath。　My　heart　seemed　to　die　within　me　when　I
entered　this　dismal　bagnio；　and　found　my　brain　assaulted　by　such
insufferable　effluvia。　I　cursed　Micklewhimmen　for　not　considering
that　my　organs　were　formed　on　this　side　of　the　Tweed；　but　being
ashamed　to　recoil　upon　the　threshold；　I　submitted　to　the　process。

After　having　endured　all　but　real　suffocation　for　above　a　quarter
of　an　hour　in　the　tub；　I　was　moved　to　the　bed　and　wrapped　in
blankets。　　There　I　lay　a　full　hour　panting　with　intolerable　heat；
but　not　the　least　moisture　appearing　on　my　skin；　I　was　carried　to
my　own　chamber；　and　passed　the　night　without　closing　an　eye；　in
such　a　flutter　of　spirits　as　rendered　me　the　most　miserable
wretch　in　being。　I　should　certainly　have　run　distracted；　if　the
rarefaction　of　my　blood；　occasioned　by　that　Stygian　bath；　had　not
burst　the　vessels；　and　produced　a　violent　haemorrhage；　which；
though　dreadful　and　alarming；　removed　the　horrible　disquiet　　I
lost　two　pounds　of　blood；　and　more；　on　this　occasion；　and　find
myself　still　weak　and　languid；　but；　I　believe；　a　little　exercise
will　forward　my　recovery；　and　therefore　I　am　resolved　to　set　out
to…morrow　for　York；　in　my　way　to　Scarborough；　where　I　propose　to
brace　up　my　fibres　by　sea…bathing；　which；　I　know；　is　one　of　your
favourite　specificks。　There　is；　however；　one　disease；　for　which
you　have　found　as　yet　no　specific；　and　that　is　old　age；　of　which
this　tedious　unconnected　epistle　is　an　infallible　symptom：　what；
therefore；　cannot　be　cured；　must　be　endured；　by　you；　as　well　as
by

Yours；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
HARRIGATE；　June　26。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　KNIGHT；

The　manner　of　living　at　Harrigate　was　so　agreeable　to　my
disposition；　that　I　left　the　place　with　some　regret　　Our　aunt
Tabby　would　have　probably　made　some　objection　to　our　departing　so
soon；　had　not　an　accident　embroiled　her　with　Mr　Micklewhimmen；
the　Scotch　advocate；　on　whose　heart　she　had　been　practising；　from
the　second　day　after　our　arrival　　That　original；　though　seemingly
precluded　from　the　use　of　his　limbs；　had　turned　his　genius　to
good　account　　In　short；　by　dint　of　groaning；　and　whining；　he　had
excited　the　compassion　of　the　company　so　effectually；　that　an　old
lady；　who　occupied　the　very　best　apartment　in　the　house；　gave　it
up　for　his　case　and　convenience。　When　his　man　led　him　into　the
Long　Room；　all　the　females　were　immediately　in　commotion　　One　set
an　elbow…chair；　another　shook　up　the　cushion；　a　third　brought　a
stool；　and　a　fourth　a　pillow；　for　the　accommodation　of　his　feet　
Two　ladies　（of　whom　Tabby　was　always　one）　supported　him　into　the
dining…room；　and　placed　him　properly　at　the　table；　and　his　taste
was　indulged　with　a　succession　of　delicacies；　culled　by　their
fair　hands。　All　this　attention　he　repaid　with　a　profusion　of
compliments　and　benedictions；　which　were　not　the　less　agreeable
for　being　delivered　in　the　Scottish　dialect。　As　for　Mrs　Tabitha；
his　respects　were　particularly　addressed　to　her；　and　he　did　not
fail　to　mingle　them　with　religious　reflections；　touching　free
grace；　knowing　her　bias　to　methodism；　which　he　also　professed
upon　a　calvinistical　model。

For　my　part；　I　could　not　help　thinking　this　lawyer　was　not　such
an　invalid　as　he　pretended　to　be。　I　observed　he　ate　very　heartily
three　times　a　day；　and　though　his　bottle　was　marked　stomachic
tincture；　he　had　recourse　to　it　so　often；　and　seemed　to　swallow
it　with　such　peculiar　relish；　that　I　suspected　it　was　not
compounded　in　the　apothecary's　shop；　or　the　chemist's　laboratory。
One　day；　while　he　was　earnest　in　discourse　with　Mrs　Tabitha；　and
his　servant　had　gone　out　on　some　occasion　or　other；　I　dexterously
exchanged　the　labels；　and　situation　of　his　bottle　and　mine；　and
having　tasted　his　tincture；　found　it　was　excellent　claret。　I
forthwith　handed　it　about　me　to　some　of　my　neighbours；　and　it　was
quite　emptied　before　Mr　Micklewhimmen　had　occasion　to　repeat　his
dr